The RE Partnership Guidelines

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Following the discussions with Member States in the Renewable Energy Sources Working Group on 19 May 1999 this paper sets out the next steps to launch this Partnership and describes the role and involvement of Member States programmes in the Campaign.

1. The Renewable Energy Partnership

The Renewable Energy Partnership has been developed to involve key actors in the Campaign.

Though not entailing legally binding obligations, joining the Partnership would require strong commitment and a substantial contribution to the objectives of the CTO. Joining would proceed through a Declaration whereby the institution, organisation or company in question would state its willingness to contribute to the CTO and describe the substance of its contribution.

Depending on the nature of the Partner, contributions may take the form of investment or promotional programmes in the key renewable energy sectors forming part of the Campaign, or other support measures aimed at raising interest among industry, investors and the public and increasing the market penetration of RES.

Partners may use the logo of the CTO and their relevant activities may be included in the other related promotional activities, such as the Awards, Catalogue, Advertising activities, etc ...

The catalogue of Partners having made such a Declaration, including a description of their specific contribution to the CTO will be published widely (brochure, Internet etc.) . The Partnership also includes the planned monitoring of the relevant programme or action.

Partnership Declarations and supporting information should be sent to:

Mr Luc Werring
DG TREN-D-1 European Commission, Directorate General for Energy and Transport
Unit for Promotion of New and Renewable Energies and Demand Management
200 Rue de la Loi (Terv. A/0-9), B-1049 Brussels.
Tel: +32 2 295 28779 / 296 1781 (sec). Fax: +32 2 295 5852)

2. Eligibility criteria

In principle, every institution, company or organisation, both public and private, planning to contribute to the Campaign should have the possibility to join the Partnership. Administrative procedures and guidelines should be such as to allow a wide membership of serious contributors to the Campaign.

However, in order to maintain the credibility of the Partnership, some eligibility criteria must be developed, in the form of guidelines. In addition, the fulfilment of these criteria by Partners must be verified. In general, the system should be as straightforward and light as practicable.

3. General guidelines.

1. The "programme" put forward should focus on RES, exclusively or partly, and on the key sectors of the CTO.

2. The "programme" has to be approved and launched or at least a deadline for launching fixed.

3. Although size should not be a determining factor, the "programme" should nevertheless make a substantial local, regional, national or international impact

4. The "programme" has to be proposed by the main promoter. The "promoter" could be municipalities, regional or national authorities, private organisations, associations or companies or a group of them

. 5. The Partnership "promoters" have to submit a detailed description of the "programme" they wish to propose as a contribution to the Campaign. From this description it must be clear that the planned actions fulfil the criteria contained in the guidelines.

6. As regards the verification of whether the declared projects in fact materialise, a reporting requirement (relatively light) is foreseen for the "promoters".

7. Compliance with Community, national and local regulations will be compulsory for any action and project to be undertaken in the framework of the "programme"

4. The role of Member States

Relevant programmes and projects at the national, regional or local levels could in future be presented as forming part of the Community-wide Campaign for Take-Off. In practical terms this would be done mainly through the use of the logo and references to the White Paper and the CTO in programme descriptions, brochures, catalogues etc.. At the Community level, relevant publications will highlight all national and other programmes participating in the Campaign. In summary, the CTO will help raise the profile of national, regional and local programmes and projects, giving widespread publicity and adding a European dimension to national RES promotion.

To put this concept into practice, it is intended to establish a list of all national support programmes falling within the scope of the CTO. In preparation of this list, the Commission will draw up provisional lists per Member State containing potential participant programmes, drawing on the survey of national programmes and policies already compiled and distributed. Each Member State will be sent the respective provisional national list for revision, update and final approval.

On the basis of the revised national lists, a final list of all national programmes participating in the Campaign would be drawn up by the Commission and sent to the Representatives on the Renewable Energy Sources Working Group, operating as a steering committee for the Campaign. The list will be updated at regular intervals, as the number of programmes participating changes and grows over time.

The national lists could include programmes operated at regional or local level, following internal co-ordination with the competent regional and local authorities.

5. Partnership proposals submitted directly to the Commission.

Proposals for a RE Partnership arriving directly to the Commission will be assessed and approved or rejected according to the principles agreed (guidelines)

The Commission will send new RE Partnership candidates lists to MS representatives in theRES Working Group. The lists will be updated on a regular basis (six months). MS will inform the Commission of any eventual inconsistencies or overlaps with national programmes.

Monitoring and follow-up of RE Partneships will be done by the Commission supported by external expertise contracted in the framework of the ALTENER programme action Art. 2(e) "Monitoring and evaluation actions".

External experts will be selected from the approved lists of experts within the Call for Expression of Interest for Evaluation Actions launched under the ALTENER programme (Call open until 31.12.99).

6. Actions at Community Level.

Partners will use the Campaign logo, be included in the RE Partnership Catalogue and participate in the Campaign Awards. In addition "progammes" covered by RE Partnerships will be disseminated at EU-wide level in the Campaign Advertising. The various actions are specified below.

a) The use of the logo will be restricted to the "programme" in the RE Partnership. The Partner will not be allowed to use it for other purposes or activities

b) The Commission will monitor the implementation of the "programme" and will withdraw the use of the logo and the continuity of the "programme" in the RE Partnership if any misuse is verified.

c) The RE Partnership catalogue will be published by the Commission and funded by ALTENER. Information will be provided by Partners. In addition information concerning RE Partnerships will be introduced in the AGORES database funded by the ALTENER programme.

d) Campaign Awards will be awarded to best RE Partnerships in accordance with criteria to be set and agreed.There will be awards for a variety of different types of Partners to be agreed.

e) Advertising actions will be decided after discussion in the ALTENER Committee on the basis of proposals received in the Commission following the selection process within the Call for Expression of Interest for Dissemination Activities launched under the ALTENER programme.

RENEWABLE ENERGY PARTNERSHIP

TITLE OF THE "PROGRAMME"

NAME OF THE PROMOTER

List of Parties involved:

...................................................

...................................................

Contents

1. Background

Description of framework policy and/or strategy

2.Objectives

Definition of the objectives (e.g. a target of .... MW wind power, or PV, etc.)

3.Actions

Detailed description of the actions to implement and their timing; careful description, for each action, task allocation of authorised body or management departments.

4.Financial resources

Statement of sources of financing and their allocation among parties, including the costs for the agreement management and monitoring

5.Management

Name of the authorised body and definition of functions.

6.Monitoring

Identification of the in house or independent party that will monitor the programme, definition of the indicators to monitor and cost estimate

7.Commitments of each party

Applies only if a framework agreement is foreseen.